SIGNAL: 59.94Hz RUCKUS
find what
matters and
design how
it comes
together.
UX strategy, experience design, creative technology and maker instincts engineered for turning high-entropy, complicated ideas into resilient platforms people can intuitively understand, scale, and build.
SPEC_ENCLOSURE // NN-CORE
NICHOLAS NOWAK
LEAD ARCHITECT / CREATIVE TECH
ALIAS: OFF
LATENCY: 0ms
THROUGHPUT
TCB
RUNTIME
25+ YRS
FORM FACTOR
HYBRID / REMOTE
VERSION
78.48
geo
MKE
STATUS
ACTIVE
SYSTEM architecture
Different problems //
require different configurations
Strategy, design, prototyping, facilitation, AI and maker thinking assembled around what the problem actually needs.
01 // STRATEGY
FIND THE INSIGHT CREATE A DIRECTION
Understand the problem
Translate chaos into a shared definition of the real problem, separate signal from noise, and create the direction everything else follows.
PRIMARY OUTPUT
Reality Check
Experience Diagnostic
02 // DESIGN
TURN DIRECTION INTO A COHERENT EXPERIENCE
align the patterns
Architect the end-to-end experience, build alignment through workshops, and produce the structure decisions get made against.
PRIMARY OUTPUT
Experience Architecture
Workshop Builder
Method UX
03 // BUILD
MAKE THE IDEA TANGIBLE ENOUGH TO TEST AND USE
complexity to commitment
Turn direction and design into tangible artifacts fast, so the idea can be tested, felt and evaluated in the real world.
PRIMARY OUTPUT
Prototype Engine
Maker Mode
Accelerator
04 // ENHANCE
ACCELERATE THE WORK IMPROVE WHAT MATTERS
pressure test
Use AI-augmented workflows and evaluative methods to synthesize research, audit experiences, test assumptions and sharpen what gets shipped.
PRIMARY OUTPUT
The Bullshit Filter
Burger Theory
PRODUCTION VALIDATION
DEPLOYMENTS IN PRODUCTION
DEP_457
//
AUTHENTICX / HEALTHCARE AI & WEB STRATEGY
MAKING HEALTHCARE AI EASIER TO UNDERSTAND
We shaped the website strategy for a complex healthcare AI platform, helping visitors understand its value and find a relevant next step. My work connected the sitemap, audience pathways, messaging, and conversion hierarchy into a UX framework designed to build trust and guide people from exploration to a demo.
INTERACTION LATENCY
90 Days
UX Strategy
Information Architecture
Conversion Design
Visual Design
WEBSITE EXPERIENCE
DEP_431
//
LILLY / KWIKPEN PATIENT EDUCATION
TURNING INSTRUCTIONS INTO A GUIDED EXPERIENCE.
We shaped an interactive learning experience for the Zepbound KwikPen guide. I created a 10-stage storyboard set connecting instructional content, screen sequences, device interactions, and knowledge checks. The storyboards gave our team a clear framework for building and testing the prototype, with a focus on comprehension, progression, and confidence.
INTERACTION LATENCY
30 Days
UX Strategy
Storyboarding
Interaction Design
Patient Education
GUIDED LEARNING EXPERIENCE
DEP_452
//
HAMILTON / EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING & WEB STRATEGY
BEYOND THE WORK. A CLEARER STORY OF IMPACT.
We developed a website strategy to bring Hamilton’s thinking into focus alongside its experiential work. My role connected site structure, capability storytelling, and conversion pathways, with recommendations that tied client challenges to approach and outcomes. The goal: help prospective clients understand Hamilton’s value and move confidently toward a conversation.
INTERACTION LATENCY
60 Days
UX Strategy
Information Architecture
Content Strategy
Visual Design
WEBSITE EXPERIENCE
TECHNICAL DATA SHEET
NICKY RUCKUS // CORE PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
PRIMARY DISCIPLINES
UX strategy, product and experience design, information architecture, interaction design, and prototyping. Connecting what people need with how things work.
FOUNDATION & TOOLSET
Foundation: Architecture, with 25 years across digital products, experiential design, and hands-on making. Digital: Figma, SketchUp, Unreal Engine, and interactive prototyping. Physical: 3D printing, woodworking, renovation, and spatial design.
OPERATING PRINCIPLES
1. Find the real problem: Understand the people, context, and constraints before deciding what to build.
2. Make complexity usable: Give information structure, give interactions purpose, and make the next step clear.
3. Make ideas tangible: Move from conversation to something people can see, use, test, and improve.
BASE & OPERATING RANGE
Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Central Time
From strategy and screen design to immersive experiences and physical spaces.
ruckus labs
system cache
CONNECTED STORYTELLING
MAKING INVISIBLE TECHNOLOGY VISIBLE.
Turning Comcast Business’s behind-the-scenes technology into an interactive story for PGA TOUR audiences. My work spanned creative ideation, solution-mapping workshops, UX strategy, and visual design. The experience connected familiar golf content with the capabilities powering it, helping visitors understand how the same technology could create value for their own businesses.
UX Strategy
Visual Design
Solution Mapping
Experiential UX
GUEST EXPERIENCE
COMPLEX LOGISTICS. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.
A customizable platform that connects guest registration, travel arrangements, and personalized event experiences. My work spanned UX strategy, product design, visual design, and interaction design—bringing guest preferences and essential information into a connected journey. The experience helps brands coordinate the details while making guests feel informed, confident, and valued.
UX Strategy
Product Design
Personalization
BRAND EXPERIENCE
MAKING VIRTUAL FEEL PHYSICAL.
An immersive baseball experience that lets fans feel what it’s like to catch a major league pitch. My work spanned UX strategy, interaction design, and VR game design—connecting a real catcher’s mitt with a virtual stadium through motion tracking and haptic feedback. Familiar physical cues and simple pitch selection helped guests step into the experience, with sight, sound, and touch working together to make each catch feel real.
UX Strategy
VR Game Design
Immersive UX
BRAND EXPERIENCE
TURNING CURIOSITY INTO PARTICIPATION.
The idea of “wonder” brought to life through an interactive installation combining motion-responsive visuals, social conversation, and inspirational content. My work focused on UX strategy and interaction design, giving visitors the freedom to shape the experience through movement or simply sit back and observe. Active and passive modes created different ways to explore, reflect, and connect with the question, “I wonder if…”
UX Strategy
Interaction Design
Data Visualization
Experiential UX
AR CONCEPT EXPLORATION
TURNING PACKAGING INTO PLAY.
We explored how augmented reality could turn beverage packaging into an interactive brand experience. The concept brought Talking Rain and Sparkling Ice flavors to life through animated characters, each with distinct personalities, stories, and strengths. Playful beverage battles translated product messaging into entertainment, while additional explorations connected the physical can with musical characters and virtual trees—giving shoppers more to discover through their phones.
Experience Concept
Augmented Reality
3D Design
EXPERIENCE CONCEPT
MAKING CALM SOMETHING YOU CAN SEE.
We explored how sound, light, and biometric feedback could make the head–heart connection tangible. The concept guides participants from distracting sensory cues toward breathing and focus, with a sculptural flower blooming as their heart rate settles. The experience storyboard connects screen prompts, environmental changes, and physical feedback into a journey designed to make the shift from tension to calm visible.
Experience Concept
Multi-sensory Design
3D Design
EXPERIENCE CONCEPT
BRINGING FANS INSIDE THE STORY.
We explored a mixed reality experience that connects football storytelling with the senses. A podium topped with real match turf gives fans something to touch and smell, while spatial audio and synchronized lighting evoke the atmosphere of the game. Mist projection draws visitors in, and location-based AR reveals different chapters as they move around the podium—connecting the sport’s past, present, and future through physical exploration.
Experience Concept
Mixed Reality
Multi-sensory Design
VIRTUAL GAME EXPERIENCE
A SMALL CHEESE. A WORLD OF POSSIBILITY.
We explored an infinite virtual gameboard that turns Babybel’s playful personality into an adventure. Players guide their cheese piece through multiple levels of trivia, social challenges, and mini-games, competing for ultimate cheesiness. The concept pairs a distinctive character with a winding world designed around discovery and progression, brought to life through SketchUp models and Unreal Engine renders.
Experience Concept
Game Experience
Interactive Storytelling